Black Excellence Society

What Black Excellence Society does

Black Excellence Society is a nonprofit community organization founded in 2017 (originally as The Culture Family) that positions itself as a Black talent incubator connecting cultural leaders, entrepreneurs, and students of color to networks, resources, and opportunities. The organization operates through an application-based membership model supported by a decentralized Hub Lead structure spanning 12+ cities in the US and internationally, including L.A., Detroit, DMV, Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Houston, Tri-State, Chicago, Paris, Bahamas, and Bermuda. Its strategic agenda is anchored in a multi-decade '2050 Vision' aimed at closing the racial wealth gap, with program initiatives covering small business funding, scholarships and internships, and educational tools for middle school, high school, and collegiate students of color.

The product surface extends beyond membership to include (BES) Networks, a sub-brand that packages community access for Fortune 500 brand advertisers via creator-led edutainment content; the #CultureForward newsletter, distributed through Brevo; and an e-commerce merchandise line sold through For The Culture Clothing. No proprietary technology platform, AI capability, or app is disclosed, and the operating model is community-driven rather than software-driven. An advisory board composed of executives from Kickstarter, ESSENCE, Reign Ventures, and Heir, together with partnerships including Amazon, Techstars, WeWork, and BT Founders Studio, provides strategic and ecosystem support.

The revenue model is multi-stream but not financially disclosed. Stated revenue mechanics include recurring membership/subscription income, e-commerce merchandise sales, newsletter engagement (Brevo-managed), and brand partnership/advertising revenue through (BES) Networks. No funding rounds, investor base, paid headcount, or financial statements are referenced in the source material, and the organization has not pursued a public listing. The structural economics resemble a community-led nonprofit with limited monetization, where brand partnerships and merchandise represent the most plausible commercial levers alongside any membership dues.

Name

Black Excellence Society

Legal name

Black Excellence Society

Website

https://blackexcellencesociety.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Black Excellence Society is a nonprofit talent incubator community founded in 2017 that connects Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and students to networks, funding, scholarships, and brand partnerships across 12+ US and international hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Professional Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Membership Communities with Learning (Community-Led Education) (MPACALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Business, Entrepreneurship & Case Competitions (DECA-style, Pitch, Case) (EDAMAGAJ), Cross-Cultural Competence & Inclusion (EDABAMAJ), Creator Talent Management & Representation (MPAAAHAB)

Keywords

• Talent incubator community
• Membership networking
• Scholarship programs
• Small business funding
• Professional development

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership/Subscription: Community membership model with an application-based joining process. Revenue generated through member subscriptions to the talent incubator community.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Excellence Society operates an application-based Black talent incubator community that connects cultural leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs to networks, resources, and opportunities for scale and growth. Its offering bundle combines a membership community, a regional Hub Leads chapter network across 12+ cities, program initiatives for small business funding, scholarships, internships, and student educational tools, a #CultureForward email newsletter, an in-house (BES) Networks digital media/edutainment arm for brand partnerships, and branded merchandise sold through a partner storefront.

Product overview

Black Excellence Society operates as a single unified community platform focused on being the world's premiere Black talent incubator. The core offering is the Black Excellence Society Community, supplemented by (BES) Networks for digital media and brand partnerships, the #CultureForward Newsletter for communications, a Hub Leads Network for regional chapters, and Shop for merchandise. Program initiatives include small business funding, scholarships and internships, and educational tools for students. Formerly known as The Culture Family, the organization was launched in 2017 and is fueled by its "2050 Vision" to close the racial wealth gap over 33 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• (BES) Networks: Black Excellence Society Networks or (BES) Networks is a full interactive visually focused initiative connected to the Black Excellence Society, focusing on digital media, communications, and authentic storytelling. It aims to amplify the voices, stories, and achievements of Black individuals and communities through various media formats.

Products and services

• Black Excellence Society Community Membership Application-based Black talent incubator community that connects cultural leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs to networks, resources, and opportunities for scale and growth. Members access the Hub Leads regional chapter network, brand-partnership events, and ongoing programs.
• (BES) Networks Full interactive, visually focused initiative connected to Black Excellence Society that focuses on digital media, communications, and authentic storytelling, and connects Fortune 500 brands with the Black American community through targeted advertising campaigns and authentic content created by Black creators.
• #CultureForward Newsletter Email newsletter subscription service that keeps subscribers updated with Black Excellence Society news, events, and community content, distributed via the Brevo marketing platform.
• Hub Leads Regional Chapter Network Local chapter network spanning L.A., Detroit, DMV, ATL, Bahamas, Boston, Miami, Paris, Houston, Bermuda, Tri-State (NYC/Jersey/Philly), and Chicago, enabling regional community engagement and networking events.
• For The Culture Clothing x Black Excellence Society Shop E-commerce storefront selling Black Excellence Society branded merchandise, operated via partner For The Culture Clothing.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and moderate.

• AmazonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon logo appears in the partners section of the website, indicating a partnership or marketing relationship with the Black Excellence Society community.
• TechstarsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechstars logo displayed in the partners section, suggesting support for startup and entrepreneur ecosystem development within the Black Excellence Society community.
• WeWorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeWork partnership indicated by logo presence, likely providing workspace access or co-working arrangements for Black Excellence Society members.
• BT Founders StudiomoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounders studio supporting the Black Excellence Society ecosystem with resources for startup development and founder support.
• B.E. BlackminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting Black professionals and entrepreneurs within the community ecosystem.
• CultureMakersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative and cultural partner supporting events and initiatives within the Black Excellence Society network.
• KickstartermoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerKickstarter CEO Everette Taylor serves on the Advisory Board, indicating a strategic partnership supporting creator and entrepreneurial initiatives.
• ESSENCEmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerESSENCE VP of Communications Alex Ebanks serves on the Advisory Board, supporting communications and media presence for the Black Excellence Society.
• Reign VenturesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerReign Ventures Founder Monique Idlett-Mosley serves on the Advisory Board, providing venture and investment expertise to the community.
• For The Culture ClothingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor The Culture Clothing Co-Owner Jarrod Wright serves on the Advisory Board; the brand is connected to the Black Excellence Society merchandise and community identity.
• HeirminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeir CEO Jeron Smith serves on the Advisory Board, bringing tech and platform expertise to the Black Excellence Society community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• BLCK VC: Nonprofit increasing representation of Black investors in venture capital. Comparable in mission alignment (Black economic empowerment), community-led membership model, and partnership-driven programming.
• SoGal Ventures: Global community and venture fund for diverse entrepreneurs and investors. Comparable in talent-incubator and networking positioning, with overlapping DNA around community-led education and entrepreneurship support.
• NewMe Accelerator: Accelerator and community for underrepresented founders. Comparable in serving Black entrepreneurs and providing access to networks, mentorship, and resources, though narrower in scope (founders only versus full community).
• Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit providing STEM education and tech exposure to girls of color. Comparable as a Black-focused educational enrichment nonprofit with chapter-based geographic model and corporate partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• National Urban League: One of the oldest and largest US civil rights and community-empowerment organizations. Comparable in mission focus on economic empowerment, education, and workforce development for Black Americans, though broader in scope.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Major nonprofit providing scholarships and educational support for Black students. Comparable in mission (educational equity and scholarships) and donor/partnership model, though more narrowly focused on HBCU support.
• Essence Communications: Established media brand serving Black women with events (Essence Festival), editorial, and brand partnerships. Comparable as a community + media + brand-partnership platform with overlapping audience and Fortune 500 sponsor model.

Direct peers

• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing professional training, internships, and career pathways for young adults from underserved communities. Comparable in talent-incubator model and programmatic offerings (internships, professional development) with Fortune 500 employer partnerships.
• Black Enterprise: Media, events, and education company focused on Black professionals, entrepreneurs, and wealth-building. Directly comparable in serving the same target persona (Black professionals and entrepreneurs) with education, networking, and programming.
• Blavity Inc. Media and community platform company serving Black millennials through AfroTech, 21Ninety, Shadow & Act, and other verticals. Directly comparable as a Black-focused community and content ecosystem with brand-partnership monetization similar to BES Networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blackexcellencesociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/theblackexcellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Excellence Society